Rod-bending machine.



C. A. NELSON.

ROD BENDING MACHINE.

APPLICATION FILED APR.8. I918.

Patented Dec. 24, 1918.

f 2 SHEETS-SHEET I. 3 I 9 0 4 2/ 0 22 o o o .5 0 IL o D I O 0 29 3 l cO.

O o I Hilllllll [Q o 4 O 2 )1 WITNESSES I; MENTOR fl ATTORNEYS lhl mum:runs an mmuma. vnsmncwm a c C. A. NELSON.

non BENDING MACHINE.

APPLICATION FILED APR. 8,1918. I 1,288,965. Patented Dec. 24, 1918.

2 SHEETSSHEET 2.

WITNESSES INVE/VTOI? A TTOR/VEYS CLYDE ALSTON NELSON, 0F CRIS'IOIBAL,CANAL ZONE.

ROD-BENDING MACHINE.

Application filed April 8, 1918.

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, CLYDE A. NELsoN, a citizen of the United States, anda resident of Cristobal, Canal Zone, Republic of Panama, have invented anew and Improved Rod-Bending Machine, of which the following is a full,clear, and exact description.

This invention relates to rod bending machines and has for an object theprovision of an improved construction whereby a number of rods may bequickly and accurately bent at one operation.

Another object of the invention is to provide a bending machine with anumber of bending elements spaced apart whereby a single rod may be bentsuccessively along its length for producing certain bends orindentations.

A still further object of the invention is the provision of a bendingmachine with rod holding members, a bending element, a single powermeans for operating the bending element either together or in successionfor bending rods in the holding member.

In the accompanying drawings:

Figure 1 is a top plan view of part of a series of bending machinesembodying the invention.

Fig. 2 is a top plan view of part of the structure shown in Fig. 1,illustrating the device in its operated position.

Fig. 3 is a section through Fig. 1 on line 33.

Fig. i is a fragmentary sectional view through F ig 1 on line lt, samebeing on an enlarged scale.

Fig. 5 is a top plan view of a section of rod after same has been bent.

Referring to the accompanying drawings by numerals, 1 indicates asupport of any desired kind on which base plates 2 and 3 are mounted,base plate 3 preferably being somewhat elevated as shown in Fig. 3. Onthe plate 3 there is provided angle bars 4 and 5 for holding the variousrods 6 during the bending operation. Two sets of angle bars 4 and 5 areshown, but it is, of course, evident a large number could be usedwithout departing from the spirit of the invention, and which are usedwhen long bars are to be provided with a large number of bends, thuscausing the bars to be bent without adjusting the same, which would benecessary if only one or two bending devices were used. Arranged on thebase plate 3 Specification of Letters Patent.

Patented Dec. 2a, 1918.

Serial No. 227,307.

are stops 7 and 8 which are in the form of angle bars and are bolted toplate 3 in a similar manner to the way holders 4; and 5 are bolted. Allof these members, preferably the angle bars, are provided with a numberof apertures for receiving the clamping bolts which pass throughsuitable apertures in plate 3. The apertures are arranged so that thevarious angle bars may be moved toward or from each other to accommodatedifferent size bars, and in the case of the stops 7 and 8 to allow agreater or less bending action. If a considerable bend is to beprovided, as for instance more than that shown in Fig. 2 the holder 4 ismoved toward the pivotal pin 9. Associated with each of the holders 4and 5, and consequently with each of the stops 7 and 8, is a cylinder10. All of the cylinders 10 are alike, as well as the parts associatedtherewith, except that each alternate cylinder is operated at theopposite angle as shown in Fig. 1, so that the description of cylinder10 will equally apply to the other cylinders. The cylinder oppositecylinder 10 will be known as cylinder 10 for the convenience ofdescription, said cylinder operating an arm similar to arm 11 Arm 11 ispivotally conneeted. with the pin 9, which pin has one end mounted inplate 3 and the opposite end braced by the bracing bar 12, which is operated or otherwise secured to plate 2 at the free end. A pair of cars 13is secured to the arm 11, said ears accommodating a bolt 14, which boltextends through the outer end of the rod 15, which rod is pivotallyconnected at 16 to the piston 17. The piston 17 is connected with rod15, as shown in Fig. 4, through fitting 18 threaded on to the pistonrod, which fitting accommodates a pin 19, said pin extending through asuitable aperture in the rod 15, which rod extends preferably for thefull length of the piston rod 17 and bears preferably lightly againstthe piston 20 whereby excessive strain may be communicated from thepiston directly to the rod 15, though when said strain is not providedsaid rod may be allowed a slight swinging or pivotal movement so as toadjust itself automatically to the various strains brought to bearthereon.- Piston rod 17 is slidingly mounted on the head 21 which headis provided with a forwardly extending nose or uiding projection 22,which not only gui es the piston rod and acts as a bearing therefor, butaccommodates the return spring which presses at one end against theprojection or nose 22 and at the opposite end against piston 20 forreturning the piston when the steam or air used in the cylinder has beenturned off and the exhaust valve opened. The cylinder 10, as shown inFig. 4, is provided with a single inlet pipe 24 which is connected to a'steam supply pipe 25 through the use of a flexible pipe 26. A steamcontrol valve 27 is arranged in pipe 25 so as to turn the steam orcompressed air on and off. A relief valve 28 is provided preferably atthe end of pipe 25, as shown in Figs. 1 and 2, whereby after the bendingoperation has been performed and the steam or compressed air turned off,

valve 28 may be opened for relieving the pressure in the cylinder andthereby allow the spring 23 to return the piston and parts connectedtherewith. It is, of course, understood that the steam or air pressurecould be left on as long as it is desired, or the steam or air pressurecould be turned off and valve 28 left closed so that the parts will beheld in their operated position as shown in Fig. 2, while the other armsand associate parts are being operated. In this way the rod being bentwould move from one end to compensate for the material provided in thebending. Preferably a number of rods are bent at the same time as shownin Fig. 3, as it requires but little more pressure to bend a number ofsmall. rods than would be required to bend a single rod as the extrapressure required is all utilized in bending instead of moving thevarious parts in the bending machinery.

As shown particularly in Fig. 3 the cylinder 10 is provided with a pairof supporting ears 29 which are clamped to the plate 2 by the bracket30, a suitable journal or pivotal pin 31 being used so that the cylinder10 may swing .back and forth in a hori- Zontal plane. The parts arecomparatively loose so that a free movement is provided and also theweight of the cylinder 10 is carried by plate 2 through the use of supporting legs 32 which may be the heads of supporting bolts. A bracingarm 33 acts on the pintle 31 and on part of the plate 2 for bracing theparts when in operation. The swinging of the cylinder is very desirablein order that. as the pin 14L associated with the arm 1.1 moves thecylinder may also move in order to give as nearly as possible w a directthrustv at all times against the pin 14:

and associate parts. A flexible connecting five cents each, byaddressing Washington, I). 0.

pipe or hose 26 allows this swinging movement whereby pressure may beapplied for bending the rods'at an angle, as shown in Fig. 2, withoutchanging the pivotal pin or pintle 31. In case a greater bending isdesired than shown in Fig. 2 the pin 31 and associate parts could bemoved including brace 33. The pin 9 could also be moved, as a number ofapertures are provided therefor which would allow alimited change in theangle of bending of the rod without changing the position of the pin 31.From this it will be seen that all of the parts are adjustable toprovide any desired angle in the bending and also provide for anydesired length of bending.

What I claim is:

1. A rod bending machine comprising a plurality of spaced alined holdersadapted to receive rods to be bent, a stop arranged between each pair ofholders, said stops being offset from the holders, a pivotally mountedbending arm arranged adja cent each of said holders positioned to bendthe rods supported by the holders at tWO points whereby a diagonalsection will be produced extending from the holders to the stops, apower piston rod for each of said 7 arms, a piston for each of saidrods, a pivotally mounted cylinder for each piston and rod, and meansfor manually supplying-said cylinders individually with a fluid underpressure so as to cause the bending arms to operate in any desiredsequence.

2. Arod bending machine comprising a flat base, a pair of spaced alinedholders ar ranged on said flat base in the same plane,

said holders being adapted to receive rods 7 I of any length, stopsarranged between said holders, said stops being offset from the holders,a pivotally mounted bending arm arranged adjacent each of said holders,arranged to bend the rods supported by the holders at two points wherebya diagonal section will be produced extending from the holders to thestops, each of said bending arms being mounted on said base and insubstantially the same plane as said holders, a I,

swinging cylinder for each of said arms arranged on said base, a pistonarranged in each of said cylinders, a piston rod for each of saidpistons connecting the pistons with said arms, and means for turning onand off .power to said cylinders whereby said pistons and said arms willbe operated and the cylinders moved automaticallyto compensate forchanging line of s-traln.

CLYDE LsTo -N LsoN.

the Commissioner 'of Patents,

